Serving Robots Spread... Bosses Smile and Employees Straighten Their Backs

Baemin's 'Dilliplate' Introduced 241 Units at 186 Locations Nationwide in 1 Year

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Hyewon] "Due to the impact of COVID-19, we closed the buffet we were operating and opened a barbecue restaurant. However, the barbecue restaurant had many side dishes and was heavy, so the staff had a very hard time. But the situation changed when we entrusted food serving to robots. With the robots assisting the workforce, the staff were able to provide more attentive service to customers, customer satisfaction increased, and the store atmosphere improved." (Owner of 'ㅎ' barbecue restaurant in Daejeon)

Woowa Brothers, the operator of 'Baedal Minjok,' announced on the 28th that their indoor serving robot 'Dilly Plate' has been introduced in 241 units across 186 restaurants nationwide within one year of its launch. The serving robot Dilly Plate, introduced through a rental program in November last year, has steadily increased in adoption since its initial release due to word of mouth among restaurant owners. Currently, Dilly Plate can be found in all 8 provinces and 6 metropolitan cities nationwide.

Dilly Plate is spreading as restaurant owners recognize that store efficiency improves and customers are more satisfied. Owner A, who runs a chicken restaurant in Incheon, said, "I used to handle everything from cooking to packaging alone, so it was difficult to attend to customers in the hall, but after introducing the serving robot, store operations have become much easier." Owner B, who operates a shabu-shabu restaurant in Haeundae, Busan, said, "Customers find the serving robot fascinating and enjoy watching it. Recently, with the preference for contactless culture, Dilly Plate has become a competitive advantage for our store."

The indoor autonomous serving robot Dilly Plate consists of 4 tiers, allowing it to serve food to 4 tables at once. With a maximum load capacity of 50kg, it significantly reduces the labor intensity of staff. When a staff member places food on Dilly Plate's shelves and presses the table number, Dilly Plate autonomously carries the food to the customer's table via the optimal route. If it encounters obstacles blocking the way, it avoids them on its own.

The Dilly Plate rental program includes robot leasing, regular maintenance, and business liability insurance, with contract options of 24 or 36 months. Currently, there are three models available (K01, K06, L01) to choose from depending on the store type and characteristics. Woowa Brothers is currently running a promotion that waives rental fees for the first 3 months upon signing a rental contract. The average monthly cost per model, including installation and rental fees, is in the 600,000 KRW range based on a 36-month contract.

Kim Yoseop, Director of the Robot Business Division at Woowa Brothers, said, "The goal of the serving robot is to improve operational efficiency across the food service industry so that store owners and staff can focus on enhancing customer service quality," adding, "As demand for Dilly Plate in the food service industry is rapidly increasing, we will continue to develop new models and programs that provide practical assistance to stores and owners."